Overview
Technical Problem Solving is an event that tests your logic and critical thinking in a laboratory setting. Teams will go from station to station answering questions. Some will be purely hypothetical pen-and-paper work, while others will involve work with common lab materials or various sensors. Given that Texas Instruments has a cryptic interest in this event, all of these sensors send their input to a connected TI-84, meaning familiarity with the TI-84 and its apps is also important for this event.
Qualifications
The closest experience most will have to the Technical Problem Solving event is lab work. Thus, the more experience with labs you have, the better. Also, unlike most SO events that are focused on a particular subject, TPS questions draw from a variety of disciplines, but primarily chemistry and physics. A familiarity with these subjects, if not a high school course in them, is recommended. These selection factors may seem to favor upperclassmen, but the real deciding factor will be the practice tests. As I alluded to above, there's nothing you'll do in school that's exactly like TPS, so if you can demonstrate ability in practice events your chances of making the team will greatly increase, even if you haven't taken physics or done a lot of labs. You also mentioned that TI-84 skills matter. Does that mean that the hundreds of hours I spent beating Jack Mao's score in Tetris were actually preparing me for this event?
First of all, there is no way you beat Mack Jao's score.
Second of all, ...in a way, yes. Based on the documentation SO provides, there are a lot of different dongles and programs used for input, so knowing your way around a TI will be useful. However, as I previously stated, not all stations require a calculator (I'd guess about half will be either TI sensors or lab materials), so don't think you're already on the team if you are good with a calculator or that you can't make the team if you've never opened MirageOS.
Study Materials Basic ("What is this event about?")
There isn't much that I haven't already explained that can give you insight without seeming overly complex. That being said, looking over labs from your science classes may help you. Intermediate ("How can I study for Hotchy's practice tests?") This is a very broad list of topics you may see on TPS tests; however, I can guarantee that you won't see all of them. Advanced ("I'm on the team, how can I study for the event?")
Make use of the myriad links on the TPS page about TI-84 sensors, as I can't test you on the use of those or even show you them. Review my practice tests and any resources you find on the Internet about the event.
Overview
Technical Problem Solving is an event that tests your logic and critical thinking in a laboratory setting. Teams will go from station to station answering questions. Some will be purely hypothetical pen-and-paper work, while others will involve work with common lab materials or various sensors. Given that Texas Instruments has a cryptic interest in this event, all of these sensors send their input to a connected TI-84, meaning familiarity with the TI-84 and its apps is also important for this event.
Qualifications
The closest experience most will have to the Technical Problem Solving event is lab work. Thus, the more experience with labs you have, the better. Also, unlike most SO events that are focused on a particular subject, TPS questions draw from a variety of disciplines, but primarily chemistry and physics. A familiarity with these subjects, if not a high school course in them, is recommended. These selection factors may seem to favor upperclassmen, but the real deciding factor will be the practice tests. As I alluded to above, there's nothing you'll do in school that's exactly like TPS, so if you can demonstrate ability in practice events your chances of making the team will greatly increase, even if you haven't taken physics or done a lot of labs.
You also mentioned that TI-84 skills matter. Does that mean that the hundreds of hours I spent beating Jack Mao's score in Tetris were actually preparing me for this event?
First of all, there is no way you beat Mack Jao's score.
Second of all, ...in a way, yes. Based on the documentation SO provides, there are a lot of different dongles and programs used for input, so knowing your way around a TI will be useful. However, as I previously stated, not all stations require a calculator (I'd guess about half will be either TI sensors or lab materials), so don't think you're already on the team if you are good with a calculator or that you can't make the team if you've never opened MirageOS.
Study Materials
Basic ("What is this event about?")
There isn't much that I haven't already explained that can give you insight without seeming overly complex. That being said, looking over labs from your science classes may help you.
Intermediate ("How can I study for Hotchy's practice tests?")
This is a very broad list of topics you may see on TPS tests; however, I can guarantee that you won't see all of them.
Advanced ("I'm on the team, how can I study for the event?")
Make use of the myriad links on the TPS page about TI-84 sensors, as I can't test you on the use of those or even show you them. Review my practice tests and any resources you find on the Internet about the event.